Fordham Takes Next Step

September 1, 2007 is the most famous date in Football College Subdivision history. It was on this balmy day in Ann Arbor Michigan when Appalachian State shocked the sports world as they conquered the fifth ranked Michigan Wolverines in one of the largest and most intimidating stadiums in college football. The upset is still known as one of the most improbable in American sports history.

The Fordham Football squad will undoubtedly find this result lodged somewhere in the subconscious as the Rams prepare to open the 2011 season in East Hartford, CT against Big East powerhouse UConn – hear the game on 90.7 FM and wfuv.org rescheduled to Saturday afternoon beginning with the One on One Pregame Show at 11:50. Before embarking on his sixth season as Head Football Coach at Fordham, Tom Masella appeared on One on One and provided an introduction to the 2011 Rams.

Some surprising news emerged from the interview, Peter Maetzold, a freshman from Texas, has been named the starting quarterback. “If you had told me this was going to happen two weeks ago,” said Masella, “I would have looked at you a little crazy.” In 2010, the Rams finished 5-6 after winning three of their last four games. Ryan Higgins became the story of the second half of last season when he stepped in for injured quarterback Blake Wayne and led Fordham to three consecutive victories. However, Masella made it clear that Maetzold out-performed the competition this summer and has earned the starting position. Coach Masella also detailed the personnel at the other skilled positions and touched on a new-look receiving corps.

Blake Wayne, who began the 2010 season as the starting quarterback, has shifted positions and will line up at wide receiver this fall. Masella believes that it will be a seamless transition for the junior from California.

On the defensive side of the ball, Masella and his coaching staff will rely on junior Linebacker Mike Martin, and sophomore tackle Justin Yancy to anchor a youthful defense.

Fordham is in its second year of offering football scholarships and only 32 Rams on this year’s roster receive that type of athletic-aid. UConn, on the other hand, has 85 scholarship players on their roster and is coming off a season in which they reached the Fiesta Bowl. Very few signs point toward a Ram victory on Thursday in Connecticut, but who knows, the last time the schools met Fordham blasted the Huskies 35-0. And, oh yea, that game was in 1915.